Crossroads
by StarryFIF
Summary: Joey is killed in a car crash…Caught between life and death, Only Seto Kaiba can save him, bit by bit… RR I DO NOT OWN YUGIOH!


A/N: This is a new idea that I have come up with. No it does not mean that I am not going to update "Song of the Heart" or "Entrapment" rather that I am going to rotate the stories.

I was inspired with this by…Well; actually, I really don't know how this came to mind. Let's just see if people like this first.

Oh, and by the way, I am using the English Yugioh names simply because it is easiest for me, not because I am lazy.

Also in my fanfic Joey's father isn't abusive, they're just really poor.

As always, if you read please review and leave a comment, all feedback is appreciated!

Crossroads 

Summary: Joey is killed in a car crash…Caught between life and death, Only Seto Kaiba can save him, bit by bit…

Rating: R for some swearing and sexual themes

**Prologue: **_Tragic Events_

Joey Wheeler walked down the snowy streets slipping and sliding from the icy conditions. His blonde hair was frozen solid from the sleet pouring from the dark clouds, eyes narrowed in determination.

"Shit!" Joey swore when he fell on his butt for the umpteenth time. Gasping for breath, the unruly teen clambered to his feet nearly falling again.

'_It was _**so **_cold!' _Joey thought darkly, teeth beginning to chatter as his body lost precious warmth from the frigid weather. '_I wish Yugi wasn't home sick today. If he had been in school I could stop by his house to warm up…Now I have no choice but to walk to my small apartment…'_

His father did the best that he could; Joey knew that, it was just really hard sometimes. He hated watching all of his friends buy nearly everything they wanted, when he himself had no money to spend on personal items.

What little money his father could get was spent on the barest necessitates. And what money Joey himself made from his weekend job went towards clothes, and school…

"This is the time that I should be looking up at the sky and saying how much my life sucks at seventeen. How can I whine when my father needs me so much?" Joey laughed bitterly. "Of course my life is horrible, but I make do with what I have."

He always tried to think positively, but Joey did not delude himself. He usually did an awful job; it was hard to be upbeat and positive when he saw so many rich folks neglecting those that really needed help.

'_Maybe that's why I hate Seto Kaiba so much_' Joey thought, his lips nearly blue from the wind blowing in his face and ruffling his hair. '_He's so rich he practically sweats money. Maybe if he stopped acting so superior, and didn't look down on people that were less important socially I could like him.' _

"Hello puppy," Joey said with his best Seto 'I'm holier than thou' voice. "Get out of my way, mutt, I'm a Greek God, everyone should be worshiping me." Joey shook his head and rolled his eyes.

"As if Seto, I would rather die than bow down to you. He was probably a god in his past life." Joey said sarcastically as he looked both ways to ensure that there was no car coming his way.

Seeing that the road was clear Joey started off at a comfortable jog across the street. He was about half way down the icy terrain when his feet hit a hidden ice patch and he tumbled head over heels to a couple of inches before he landed in an unceremonious heap on the hard ground.

"Ouch!" Joey swore, rubbing his sore head. Joey cursed when he saw headlights reflected in the pure snow nearly blinding him.

Joey attempted to stand, but a sharp pain in his left leg sent him falling back onto his butt. He tried again with the same results. Joey was beginning to get frantic, he couldn't move no matter how hard he tried, and the car did not appear to notice his figure in the middle of the road.

The wind blew hard again, sleet and snow stinging his already abused cheeks, reminding the teen of the treacherous conditions. If the automobile didn't see him soon, Joey didn't even want to think about what was going to happen.

"Stop!" Joey yelled at the top of his lungs, waving his arms stupidly. The car noticed, much to Joey's relief, and slammed on the breaks. Not exactly the smartest thing to do in sleet and snow, even Joey knew that.

The car began to veer wildly across the icy road, swerving left and right…Finally stopping right on Joey…The teen felt incredible pain….and he knew no more.

"Isn't there anything you can do?" A young teen with tri-colored hair and striking amethyst eyes begged a man in a white overcoat carrying a clipboard.

The man stared at the distraught teen and slowly shook his head. "I'm sorry Mr. Motou, there's nothing that I can do. Mr. Wheeler died on impact, instantly."

Yugi slid to the ground, tears streaming down his pale face. His other half, Yami, who muttered quiet nothings in the teen's ear, immediately embraced the young hikari. Yugi could not be consoled. His lithe form was wracked by massive sobs, his voice not working.

He had lost his best friend, the only person aside from Yami who understood him completely. There would be no more hanging out at the burger joint, no more eating together at lunch, no more duels….Just emptiness.

Joey Wheeler was gone forever, and nothing could bring him back.

"We came as fast as we could," Tristan said breathlessly, Ryou, Bakura, Malik and Marik not far behind. "How is he?' Tristan's face fell when he saw Yugi sobbing on the ground.

"He's not…" Ryou began but trailed off, already knowing the answer.

"Joey's…He's dead!" Yugi wailed, burying his face in Yami's shoulder.

The room went utterly silent except for Yugi's cries.

"Isn't there anything that you could do?" Malik asked, squeezing his darker halves hand so hard that it turned white.

Yami just rocked Yugi gently.

"Pharaoh," Bakura said sharply, his eyes watching Yugi's distraught form. "There is a way."

Yugi froze up and pulled away from Yami. "What? There's a way that we can save Joey? Why didn't you tell me?" Yugi cried, thumping Yami's chest.

Yami's eyes locked with Bakura's as he caught Yugi's fragile hand and kissed it, not wanting his hikari to harm himself in anyway.

"Possibly," Yami said non-committed. "It probably won't work, though."

"If there's even the slimmest chance than I'm all for it." Tristan said, earning nods from everyone else in the room.

"How though?" Yugi asked, his large eyes looking inquisitively with Yami's. "Why didn't you mention it?"

"Because there is such a large margin of failure that I did not think it was worth saying." Yami said. "I need to see Joey's body first, and if his soul lingers in the body…we can go from there. But I can't make any promises."

The room fell quiet once again as everyone looked at each other. Finally Yugi and Tristan nodded simultaneously.

"Let's do it!" Malik cried.

End of Prologue

A/N: That was very long for me; usually my first chapter is only about a page and a half long.

The next chapter is going to be better, I hope. Believe it or not this fanfic is not as morbid as it sounds! Don't even ask me why Joey's dad wasn't at the hospital, I don't know either : )

Please review and tell me what you thought!


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